Hemorrhoids, Anal Fissure and Diarrhea Anxieties!

[momincamarillo]

I have been through a very rough year with hemorrhoids and a anal fissure and diarrhea.  

I had a colonoscopy a year ago November and only found a small internal hemorrhoid.  Which was great news.  But then in March, I was diagnosed with an anal fissure.  I tried the nitro route, but it didn't work.  So in October, I had a lateral internal sphincterotomy.  This healed the fissure and its been three months so far.  But I have had two bouts with hemorrhoids since.  Once external and most recently, one internal.  I have taken Anusol for both.  Both the surgeon and my GI doctor have stressed that I need to have soft bowel movements and this I have done.  I have not been constipated, but the opposite.  I have very loose stools and now my rectal tissue is very swollen.  I normally have two to three bowel movements from 6:30 AM - 10 AM every day (is this okay?).  

Today, I went in to the urgent care today because I couldn't get in to see my doctor and they did an exam.  He could see where the fissure had healed, but no sign of a hemorrhoid.  The issue is that I am very very sore up there.  It was difficult to have a bowel movement which was soft.  I also had a slight incontinent episode with diarrhea before going in.  He gave me Metronidazole because he wanted to make sure that I wasn't fighing some sort of infection and I am supposed to follow up with my GI DR.

My loose stools are very dark.  I eat a lot of green beans and salads, but is it possible this is why its so dark?  

The entire ordeal has caused a great deal of stress and I am just petrified of getting the anal fissure back.  I have been told that I am doing everything that I am supposed to and am now on anti anxiety meds.  So why is this still an issue?  With my high fiber diet, I read that stools are supposed to be soft and sort of gelatinous.  Is this true?  

Before this year, the worst thing I ever had was an asthma attack.  Now I am scared to go anywhere.  Any advice is welcome.

[Dizzydecorator]

A related discussion, Extreme rectal pain was started.

[desperate_housewife]

I feel for you because I have fissures plus a bad case diarrhea and hemorrhoids.  I had colon cancer a year and a half ago plus a few months before that I had my gall bladder removed due to infection and stones..  The removal of it left me with diarrhea so I went for a colonoscopy and found I had cancer.  They took out about a foot of my colon.  I am glad to be alive but I have diarrhea every day and the pain is unbearable.  I have tried every ointment but the pain from being raw is undescribeable.  I used baby oil this morning and wow what a difference right away.  I am going to a doctor Monday but the baby oil really helped a raw backside for now.  
desperate

[Enoch Choi, MD]

2 to 3 bowel movements a day is more often than most people but not abnormal.  That frequency of stools can lead to soreness.  It's reassuring that multiple exams have not shown a recurrent anal fissure.  There's no reason to be afraid to go anywhere.  If you're still concerned, consider seeing another surgeon for a second opinion about the fissure & anal issues, but without something to cut out they're less likely to be interested.  Then it may be more helpful to see a gastroenterologist.

Enoch Choi, MD